Combined inkwell and penholder



Fl G. 4

w. C. NEIN COMBINED INKWELL AND PENHOLDER Filed sept. 25, 1942 FIG. l

` Dec. 23, 1947.

INVENTOR.

BY wllLLlAM @NEIN MMzQmUud/JHDUMMM v framers Patented Dec. 23, 1947UNITED STATES PATENT oEFl-CE COMBINED INKWELL AND PENHOLDER William C.Nein, New York, N. Y. Application September 25, 1942, Serial N o.459,640

6 Claims.

This invention relates to ink-Wells and more particularly to improvedclosed combined inkwells and penholders The main object of thisinvention is to provide an improved ink-Well and penholder which is apractical device.

Another object of the invention is to provide means operated by thepenholder to feed ink from the ink reservoir to the pen.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the invention showing the arrangementof the various parts including a suitable supporting base.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the flexible diaphragm, part 7, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a modification of the invention asshown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows a top plan View of a modied form of part 7 as shown in Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is an elevational View partly in section showing a modified formof the ink-feeding member.

Referring newv to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1, I` is anopenmouthed reservoir, hollow and substantially spherical in form. Theopen mouth of the reservoir I is provided with an eX- ternally threadedportion 3 3 to receive a cap or closure 5 which is preferably formed ofmolded plastic with an inset threaded metal collar 3. Within thereservoir l is fastened a weight 2 which acts as a counterbalance forthe various parts as shown. The metal inset 3 is formed with an inwardlyprojecting flange which oVerlies the top edge of the threaded collar 3of the ink reservoir I.' Clamped between this flange and the edge of thecollar 3 is the marginal iiange of a flexible rubber diaphragm 'I A ringor washer I6 of a width to project inwardly beyond the edge of thellange of the inset 3 is inserted between the margin of the diaphragmand the ange of the insert for a purpose which will be later described.The diaphragm "I, Figs. 1 and 3, is made preferably of a form as shown,and is provided with an opening I8 through which is forced, as anairtight t, the shank 9 of the pen holding member Iii. The shank 9 isprovided with a groove I9 to x the position of diaphragm 1. rlhe shank 9of the penholding member IIJ is preferably circular in form and isprovided with a multiple diameter bore I2 which opens into a well I4 atits z I Y upper end and in which well I4 and part of the bore I 2 isnormally mounted the pen 23 of a pen'- holder II. The penholder Il restsin the hole-I0' `of member I0. The penholding member IU is provided witha shoulder I5 which cooperates with the inwardly projecting edge ofwasher I6 to limit the downward movement of the pen-holding member III.By substituting washers of various thickness the extent of movement ofthe penholding member may be varied. The Whole as; sembly on reservoir Iis mounted in a supporting base I3, which base has a socket 20 havingaportion shaped to t the contour of the reservoir I. In this portion afriction lining I1 is provided to control the movement of reservoir I asdesired.

Beneath the curved' portion of the socket 2Il which serves as a seat forthe spherical reservoir the socket 20 is in the form of a cylindricalwell ZIJ. Member 2| is a knob fastened to reservoir I as shown by anysuitable means such as a screw 22 or it can be madea part of `I and actsto limit the movement of the reservoir I with respectto the base I3which is accomplished by the cylindrical wall 20' of the base. Theupward movement of member Il) is limited by a ledge 5 of member 5 andthe pressure against 5 is supplied by member 'I which is slightlydepressed when member 5 is in position.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing I have illustrated a somewhat modied form ofdiaphragm wherein the interior of the reservoir is vented withoutproviding a vent hole inthe diaphragm. As here shown the diaphragm 'I isformed around its central opening with an upwardly turned conical seat I8 which nts loosely against a conical shaped portion 9 at the junctureof the well I4 and tubular extension 9 of the pen-holding member. Aspring 25 interposed between thelower end of the tubular .member 9 andthe bottom of the reservoir normally maintains the pen-holding member inits upper position to thus insure a vent to atmosphere which is closedwhen member IB is pushed downward against the spring 25. The inwardlyturned iiange 5 of the cover 5 serves as a stop to limit the upwardmovement of the pen-holding member under the pressure of the spring 25.In Fig. 3 I have also shown a slightly modied form of pen-receivingcover for the ink-receiving well I4. As here shown the closure consistsof a sheet metal cap having a central holey through which the pen isinserted into the lnk-receiving well. With this form of closure penholders of any size may be used.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a modified form o-f feed plunger 9 toinsure getting substantially all of the ink out of the reservoir whenthe latter is in inclined position, As here shown the plunger 9 isshortened and is provided at its end with an extension of reduceddiameter over which is tightly fitted the end of a flexible tube 29 of alength to reach to the bottom of the reservoir when the latter is tiltedto the inclined position permitted by the stop 2l. The lower end of theflexible tube 29 is provided with a weight 30 which serves to hold thelower 'end of the tube at the lowermost point in the reservoir.

As can be seen from the several figures the function of shoulders l5 andI6, which can be variables, is to limit the movement of member I0. Thefunction of the vent 4 to atmosphere in the member 1 is to assure astable air pressure within the reservoir I above the ink. As can bereadily seen the area of the vent 4 is very small compared to the areaof the member 'l which is depressed when the penholder Il ls pusheddownwards in operation, so while some air escapes thru the vent 4 thereduction in pressure within the reservoir is not suflicient to affectthe practical operation of the device. In the case of Fig. 3 as can beseen there is no escape of air in operation although the effect of asmall portion of the stroke of member I0 is lost. The vmultiple diameterbore l2 of member 9 prevents ink from squirting up against the pen 23 byrelieving the pressure as the ink rises in bore l2 when the device isoperated. This is a very important practical feature as can be readilyseen. The location of the vent 4 in member 1 is preferably as shown inFig. l. When the member l0 is depressed causing diaphragm 1 to flex, theflexing takes place in a circular line through the vent 4 closing it asthe downward movement increases thereby assisting in increasing thepressure in the reservoir I above the ink. The vent 4 permits anychanges which may take place in the air pressure within the reservoirabove the ink to equalize itself with the atmosphere.

What I claim is:

1. An improved ink well of the reservoir type comprising, a reservoir,an ink pumping element of elastic material extending into the reservoirand having a flexible diaphragm integral therewith at its inner end,said diaphragm provided with a perforation therethrough, a hollow penholding member mounted within the pumping element and having its innerend extending through said perforation, said pen holding memberreciprocable axially to flex the diaphragm and pump ink from thereservoir into the pen holding member, and a valve in the diaphragm openwhen the diaphragm is at rest to prevent pressure within the reservoir,and closing when the diaphragm is flexed to permit creation of pressurewithin the reservoir to pump ink into the pen holding member.

2. An improved ink well of the reservoir type comprising, a reservoirfor ink or other like fluid, said reservoir provided with an opening inone side thereof, a hollow plunger reciprocably mounted in said openingand having its inner end in cooperative relation to the ink within thereservoir, a resilient bellows capable of buckling under pressureassociated with said hollow plunger, a valve passage in said resilientbellows at the buckling point, said passage being normally open,

and closed when the bellows is subjected to pressure from the hollowplunger.

3. The combination with an open top liquid reservoir, a closure for theopen top secured to the reservoir and provided with a cylindrical bore,a tubular element having an enlarged cylindrical head portion mountedfor reciprocatory movement in the bore and provided with a tubularextension depending from the head into the reservoir, a resilientdiaphragm normally of dome shape form secured at its perimeter betweenthe reservoir and the closure and through the crown of which diaphragmthe extension projects, said crown portion being distortable by theinward movement of the tubular element from its most dome-like formtowards a less domed condition, said diaphragm provided with normallyopen means for venting the interior of the reservoir both when thediaphragm is in its fully distended dome form and also during theinitial part 0f said inward distorting movement and said diaphragmfunctioning by reason of its distortability to provide means operablycontrolled by the movement of the diaphragm as it progresses beyond saidinitial movement to close said venting means and thus automaticallyintercept fluid communication between the interior of the reservoir andthe outside air whereby the nal part of the depressing step acts tocreate pressure in the reservoir to force liquid in the reservoir upinto said tubular element.

4. An ink-well including a base provided in its upper surface with anupwardly facing socket, the uppor portion of the socket being a segmentof a sphere and the lower portion being substantially cylindrical, areceptacle supported by the base, having an opening in its upper sideand having its under surface conforming to said upper portion andmounted thereon for universal articulation and said under surface beingprovided with a stop depending therefrom into said lower portion of thesocket and adapted in its engagement with the wall deiining said lowerportion to limit the tilting of the receptacle from its normal uprightposition. f

5. An ink-well of the reservoir type comprising a reservoir mounted formovement about a self-contained axis, an ink pumping element extendinginto the reservoir and including a flexible diaphragm provided with aperforation therethrough, a hollow pen holding member mounted within thepumping element and having a portion thereof extending through saidperforation, said pen holding member reciprocable axially to ex thediaphragm and to pump ink from the reservoir into the pen holdingmember, said diaphragm provided with a normally `open valve for ventingthe reservoir, said valve automatically operable on the depression ofthe holding member to close the valve, the extreme lower end of saidextending portion having a flexible tube providing an inlet to the penholding member from the reservoir and tending by reason of itsflexibility to lower the inlet towards the bottom of the reservoir inall positions of the same.

6- An ink-well including an ink reservoir having an opening, a closuremember for the opening, a pumping element having its upper portionguided for reciprocatory movement in the closure, a flexible diaphragmthrough which said pumping element extends, the lower intake end of saidpumping element normally extending into the ink in the reservoir andconstituting a exble tube, the lower end of which is Number Weighted.523,010 WILLIAM C. NEIN. 566,346 725,165 REFERENCES CITED 5 1,200,611The following references are of record in the lle of thls patent.117451799 UNITED STATES PATENTS lo ggg Number Name V Date 2000501 49,093Darling Aug. 1, 1865 21071,276 450,497 ROhI'kaSE Apr. 14, 1391 2,078,862

6 Name Date Russel July 17, 1894 Sigeler Aug. 25, 1896 Snell et al. Apr.14, 1903 Heller Oct. 10, 1916 James Mar, 13, 1917 Heilbrun Mar. 5, 1929Johnson Feb. 4, 1930 Henle May 24, 1932 Meunier July 27, 1933 Wade May7, 1935 Barbiers Feb. 16, 1937 Llewellyn Apr. 27, 1937

